The French horn, with its rich timbre and versatile range, demands a unique blend of skill, musicality, and dedication.
For aspiring horn players, selecting the right institution can be the key to unlocking their full potential.
However, what sets the elite French horn programs apart?
At the core of these distinguished schools is an exceptional faculty.
These instructors are not just educators; they are masters of their craft, often boasting impressive credentials such as principal positions in renowned orchestras, international competition victories, and decades of teaching experience.
Top-tier French horn programs also prioritize individualized attention.
With smaller class sizes, students benefit from more personalized instruction, allowing for focused development of their skills. These schools place a strong emphasis on performance, offering numerous opportunities for students to hone their craft on stage.
Graduates from these prestigious programs find diverse career paths.
Many secure positions in symphony orchestras, while others pursue chamber music, join military bands, or enter the world of education. The rigorous training they receive often leads to success in international competitions and festivals, opening doors to a global musical community.
In this article, we present our selection of 10 of the best French horn performance schools in the United States. Keep in mind that these are not definitively the top 10 schools for horn performance; rather, treat this as a starting point for your journey into looking into colleges for French horn.
Colburn School (Los Angeles, CA)
Colburn horn students learn from Professor Andrew Bain, Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
With a global career and extensive film soundtrack contributions, including his horn playing on the soundtrack for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Bain’s passion for education, as well as classical & commercial performance, enriches Colburn students who study with him.
His commitment to fostering talent spans masterclasses worldwide, teaching at prestigious institutions, and hosting events like the International Horn Symposium, showcasing his dedication to advancing horn playing and musical education.
Graduates have secured positions globally, with recent French horn jobs being won in orchestras such as the Pacific Symphony and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Participation in the Colburn Orchestra, performing in renowned venues like Walt Disney Concert Hall, enhances students’ experiences, showcasing their talents through solo performances and annual Concerto Competitions.
The Juilliard School (New York, NY)
The Juilliard horn program offers students annual performance opportunities at renowned venues like Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and beyond.
Orchestral ensembles, including the Juilliard Orchestra, provide a solid foundation for aspiring instrumentalist undergraduates.
Juilliard faculty members serve as mentors and teachers from day one.
Erik Ralske, Principal Horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, is one such faculty member, boasting a stellar career not only with the MET but also 17 years with the New York Philharmonic and as a soloist.
Some of the performance opportunities at Juilliard include the annual ChamberFest program in January, which empowers student chamber groups to collaborate with faculty during intense rehearsals as they prepare for concerts during the first week of the second semester.
USC Thornton School of Music (Los Angeles, CA)
Some of the best-known horn players, like James Decker and Vince DeRosa, shaped the foundation for the horn department at USC in the 20th century.
These days, faculty member Julie Landsman is guiding USC horn students, a Juilliard graduate who was the principal of the MET from 1985-2010.
Landsman has held masterclasses at most of the music schools on this list. She only recently started positively impacting USC Thornton after leaving Juilliard, where she taught from 1989-2022.
Her students have gone on to hold positions in the Washington National Opera Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, and the American Brass Quartet, among many other schools.
Another faculty member, Steven Becknell, is one of the busiest living horn players, having performed on over 1,000 motion picture soundtracks.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music (Evanston, IL)
With decades of accomplishment and a close connection to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the horn program at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music offers private lessons, studio classes, orchestral excerpt classes, and chamber music, among other offerings.
Those pursuing a DMA (doctorate of musical arts) should look further into the Northwestern curriculum, as all admitted DMA horn students receive full-tuition scholarships, a stipend, and fully subsidized medical insurance.
Students benefit from the cultural scene in nearby Chicago and the resources of a major research university, and many pursue robust freelance careers following graduation. Others hold positions at esteemed institutions like the U.S. Air Force Band, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Northwestern’s horn faculty include longtime teacher Jonathan Boen.
An acclaimed hornist and pedagogue, Williams has been Principal Horn for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is also a former member of the Denver Symphony.
The program at Northwestern was built by current Professor Emerita Gail Williams, who is among the most successful horn teachers of all time.
Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, PA)
The Curtis School of Music’s horn program offers an immersive musical experience for students, integrating them into the whole musical milieu of the school.
A unique “learn by doing” approach underscores the importance of frequent performances, including the Student Recital Series. The curriculum focuses on technique, artistic expression, and a liberal arts component, providing a holistic education.
Career studies courses, such as social entrepreneurship, equip students with the skills for 21st-century careers.
Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Jennifer Montone, brings her expertise to Curtis, enriching the program with her prestigious career and numerous honors. A graduate of Juilliard, Montone was one of the students of Julie Landsman, who we mentioned earlier in this article as a current faculty member at USC.
Montone’s students have found work in many of the best groups in the world; some of her past students include Yousef Assi, horn player with the Dallas Symphony, and Chelsea McFarland, horn player with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Jeffrey Lang is the other faculty member at Curtis, who has been teaching students at the school for over a decade.
New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, MA)
NEC’s close connection with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is the foundation for the program.
Students at the New England Conservatory do benefit from working alongside accomplished faculty, including Richard “Gus” Sebring, the Associate Principal Horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Principal Horn of the Boston Pops. Sebring’s horn work even appears on John Williams’ score for Saving Private Ryan.
Other faculty members in the horn program include Rachel Childers, the first female member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra brass section, and Michael Winter, another member of the BSO.
In addition to the standard fare of chamber & orchestral performance opportunities, NEC places a special emphasis on community engagement & outreach. NEC’s partnerships include YMCA youth programs, senior facilities, and other organizations throughout Greater Boston.
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY
The ESM curriculum emphasizes fundamentals, including posture, breathing, tone production, intonation, rhythm, phrasing, sight-reading, and ensemble skills.
Students engage in studio classes, solo recitals, chamber music, and participation in various ensembles, preparing them for professional careers as performers and teachers.
A distinctive feature is the Eastman Horn Choir, founded in 1968, which provides expanded ensemble experiences and challenges students to build a diverse repertoire.
Under the direction of Verne Reynolds and, later, W. Peter Kurau, the Choir has gained international acclaim and performed at prestigious events, including the International Horn Symposium.
Professor Kurau, formerly Principal Horn of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, teaches at the Eastman Summer Horn Institute.
Ideal for budding horn players, the institute offers a deep dive into horn orchestral excerpts, including audition preparation, score study, sonic modeling, and performance psychology.
Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY)
Students in MSM’s brass program learn under expert faculty members and engage with world-renowned guest artists in masterclasses & performances alike.
The program emphasizes professional competence, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for diverse musical careers.
Renowned hornist David Jolley, a faculty member at MSM, enriches the program with his remarkable virtuosity. Another faculty member, Michelle Baker, is the current Chair of the MSM Brass department.
Many of Jolley’s scholars and MSM horn alumni transition to hold some of the most competitive horn chairs in ensembles and orchestras across the globe.
Horn graduates have accepted principal roles at the Seattle Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (Cincinnati, OH)
The horn studio at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music is small yet mighty, consisting of up to 25 students at all levels of study.
Cincinnati has a strong connection with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and some of the brass faculty, including horn player Lisa Conway, hold a dual appointment with both the orchestra as well as at Cincinnati.
What makes Cincinnati stand out from many of the schools on this list, such as Juilliard, Curtis, and NEC, is how it is situated in a robust university and is not an independent conservatory.
Some students I have worked with are interested in both conservatory & university programs, while others are interested in broadening their academic horizons in a university setting.
Cincinnati is also an excellent value, with significantly lower tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students.
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington, IN)
Indiana has some of the most accomplished faculty members in french horn in the country.
These faculty members include Denise Tryson, who is a member of the American Horn Quartet. She also previously served as a horn professor at Peabody and Cincinnati, two excellent horn performance programs.
Another faculty member, Richard Seraphinoff, is one of the foremost experts on “natural horn” and early music performance.
Indiana students, as a whole, put on over 1,100 performances a year, making IU one of the busiest arts organizations not just on the college level but worldwide.
With a horn studio of approximately 45 students, students can perform in varied ensembles, including the Hoosier Brassworks, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and various orchestras.
